big splash, little splash

Is it only me that swims fully clothed? Apparently this practice is odd, according to my friend Laura. I think it cuts down on preparation time. Plus it is certainly easier on the eye.

I’ve done it once before on Brighton Beach, on a ridiculously hot day after a good meeting in my old job. Hadn’t planned on a dip in the ocean. Hadn’t packed a costume. What was I supposed to do? Swelter and dream of the sea? I don’t think so.

I waded in all Reggie Perrin style. My antics drew the odd perplexed stare. But I know, somewhere just under the surface of their slightly sweaty brows, they were jealous. They were trying to look chic and dry. I was happy to look slightly mad and cool. Anyway, I had trained for this moment having once dived into the deep end of the local swimming pool to collect a brick in my pyjamas. I tell you, if you haven’t swum fully clothed before, you are missing out.

A note of caution however. You will require more than one towel to dry off. I’ve found clothes to be very absorbant and capable of taking a lot of water with them. So if my splashing about in the sea was full of gay abandon, the slow dragging of my self out of the water, up across the perilous pebble beach and into my car was less the little mermaid, more creature from the deep.

But enough of me.

What on earth do you do when you live next to an indoor swimming pool? Don your “Hello Kitty” armbands and get splashing of course.

Off season, it is cheaper to hire a four-legged lifeguard. She may wander over to lick you but at least she doesn’t spin her whistle round and round her finger. All the time. Annoyingly.

But not everyone appreciates a quick kiss from Ella.

So Laura swims over to put the smile back on our little splasher. I’ve just noticed – exactly the same nose creases when widely grinning. That’s the old DNA for you.

Those flags were made for grabbing. And that’s just what she’ll do. Very nearly.

Swim time over – towel down done – time to play on the side. Erm. No, I don’t think so. No ball games allowed according to Lifeguard Ella. Unless it’s her ball game.

Not to worry. Sophie will just wander up to me and give me the eye – like any right-thinking youth-in-a-hoodie would.

Swimming, splashing, trying to grab flags, trying to avoid Ella, telling Ella “No! Stay Ella. Down Ella!” will really take it out of you. Best get warm, get wrapped up and get ready for tea.

I should add that Sophie found nothing strange at all about me swimming fully clothed. But then she is only nearly 2 and doesn’t know any better.

The nights are drawing in, the extra layers are going on and I LOVE IT! As you can tell by my choice of swimming attire, being fully dressed is how I choose to present myself in public. So now I can start to think of scarves, gloves and boots I get a lot happier about the day to day weather. I’ve had a preview of Sophie’s Autumn 2010 wardrobe and it is looking fabulous. Can’t wait for woodland walks and adventuring.